Water timing distributing valve



Oct. 29, 1963 A. s. SCHRODER WATER TIMING DISTRIBUTING VALVE Filed April17, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. ALLEN STANLEY SCHRODER A TTORNEYOct. 29, 1963 A. s. SCHRODER 3,108,609

WATER TIMING DISTRIBUTING VALVE Filed April 17, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l5K ////A INVENTOR. ALLEN STANLEY SCHRODER A TTORNEY United States Patent3,108,609 WATER TIMING DISTREBUTING VAHNE ilen tanley Sehroder, 7 3Middle Highway,

Barrington, R1. Filed Apr. 17, 1962, Ser. No. 188,022 3 Claims. (Cl;137-119) This invention relates to a water timing distributing valve andmore particularly to a valve which services a plurality of water outletsin timed relation to a water inlet.

An object of the present invention is to provide the distribution ofWater from a single source of supply to a plurality of outlets in such amanner that an intermittent supply is delivered alternately to each, atfull pressure, without the reduction of pressure which would occur ifthe supply were constantly distributed among all the outlets at the sametime.

In many communities the available water pressure is insufficient topermit simultaneous operation of a plurality of lawn sprinklersforexample, or other waterusing apparatus, without undesirable loss of heador pressure. Accordingly a preferred application of the .presentinvention is applied to a plurality of lawn sprirdrlers in such a mannerthat the full pressure of the supply is successively furnished eachsprinkler individually, while the others remain idle. An importantadvantage of the present construction resides in the fact that fullpressure is made available, even though many outlets may be in service.

Another object of the present invention is to provide means whereby thepressure of the water supply is utilized to operate the automaticvalving means.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide automaticvalving means which instantaneously shuts oif the water to one outletwhile instantaneously turning on the water to another outlet to preventan excess amount of water from falling on one section of a lawn at agiven time.

And still another object of the present invention is to provide a watertiming distributing valve which is foolproof in operation, economicaltooperate in an entirely automatic manner.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent in part andbe pointed out in part in the following specification and claims.

Like reference numerals refer to like parts in the accompanying drawingsin which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view, with a section of the cover broken away forclarity, of the new and improved water timing distributing valve.

FIGURE 2 is a bottom plan view of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatic View illustrating the valve mechanism.

FIGURE 4 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE1.

FIGURE 5 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIGURE1.

FIGURE 6 is 'a perspective view of the water timing distributing valvemechanism with the casing broken away.

Referring to the drawings: a casing generally indicated by referencecharacter 5 is provided consisting of a bottom 1%, a front 11, a back12, a right side 13 and a left side 14. Preferably, this casing ismolded as a water tight unitary structure. A top 15 is secured to thecasing by means of screws 16 to form a water chamber. A gasket 9 may beprovided between top 15 and front 11, back 12 and sides 13, 14.

Bottom 111 is provided with a hollow pad 17. A water inlet 18 is fixedin hollow pad 17 by means of a 3,108,569 Patented Oct. 29, 1963 "icewheel 32 is fixed to shaft 30 and is adapted to be rotated by worm gear24. An intermediate shaft 33 having a worm gear 34 is rotatively mountedon one end in bottom 10 and on the other end in top 15. A worm wheel 35is fixed to intermediate shaft 33 and is adapted to be driven by wormgear 31. Two arms 36, 37 integrally formed in top 15, project downwardlyin parallel relationship. A shaft 40 provided with a worm gear 41 isrotatively mounted on opposite ends" in arms 36, 37. A worm wheel 42fixed to shaft 41) engages to be driven by worm gear 34. A driven shaft43 is rotatively mounted on one end in bottom 10 and on the other end intop 15. A worm wheel 44 fixed to driven shaft 43 engages to be driven byworm gear 41.

Bottom 15 is provided with a plurality of exit ports, illustrated as twoin number, 45, 46. Garden hose couplings having metal ferrules 47, 48which are fastened in bottom 14 at ports 45, 46 respectively, areprovided with threaded areas 49, 56, respectively.

A disk or valve plate 51 provided with a hub 52, an arcuate shaft orvalve opening 53 and a port blocking portion 54 is mounted forindependent rotation on shaft 43. In the application of two exit portssuch as 45, 46, arcuate slot or valve opening 53 and port blockingportion 54 equally divide the circumference of disk or valve plate 51 soas to comprise one hundred eighty degrees each. A flexible strip 55which is greater in length than the diameter of disk 51 is fastened inhub 52 so as to freely rotate disk 51 on shaft 43. A pin 57 is securedin bottom 16. A collar 58 is secured to shaft 33. A finger 60 ispivotally mounted on shaft 33. A screw 61 fastens one end of finger 6%to collar 58 so that finger 60 will rotate with shaft 33. A projection62 extends downwardly from finger 6t) and is adapted to engage androtatively push flexible strip 55 as will presently appear. A clutchsleeve 66 provided with two teeth 67, 68 is fastened to shaft 43. Teeth67, 68 are adapted to engage and rotate flexible strip 55. V

In operation a source of water supply will be connected to water inlet18 through threaded coupling 20. Water under pressure will pass throughwater inlet 18 and out of single elongated port 21. The water willstrike the vanes 26 of water actuated impeller 25 and thereby rotatedrive shaft 23 and worm gear 24. Worm gear 24 will rotate worm wheel 32,shaft 30 and worm gear 31. Worm gear 31 will rotate worm wheel 35,intermediate shaft 33, worm gear 34, worm wheel 42, shaft 40, worm gear41, worm wheel 44 and driven shaft 43.

What has just been described is a gear train, initially powered by awater actuated impeller 25 which may turn at eight hundred revolutionsper minute. The gear train will reduce this initial speed to onerevolution per hour at driven shaft 43. It is obvious, that by changingthe gear ratios, such as between worm gear 31 and worm wheel 35, thespeed of shaft 43 may be increased or decreased. Thus the gear train isa timing device because Driven shaft 43 will rotate clutch sleeve 66 andthereby teeth 67, 68 into engagement with flexible strip 55 whereby diskor valve plate 51 will be rotated until flexible strip 55 engages pin57. Driven shaft 43 will continue to rotate. Teeth 67, 68 will continueto press against flexible strip 55, whereby flexible strip 55 is broughtunder increasing stress. The flexible strip bends or bows with the arcof the bow increasing as the stress increases (see FIGURE 3). However,disk 51 imperceptibly rotates. Suddenly flexible strip 55 snaps past pin57 to position C whereby wall 51A of disk or valve plate 51 will snapfrom position D to position B. In this manner port 45 is closed to theWater in casing and port 46 is opened to the water in casing 5.Projection 62 will engage to pivot flexible strip 55 a predetermineddistance to insure that valve plate 51 registers valve opening 53 withport 46 while simultaneously closing port 45.

It is intended that the snapping action of flexible strip 55 will causevalve opening 53 to snap into engagement with one port and out ofengagement with the other port. Finger 60 is insurance that valveopening 5 3 fully registers with port 46.

It is to be observed that intermediate shaft 33 and finger 60 rotatemore rapidly than driven shaft 43 due to the nature of the gear train.Thus finger 60 passes the dot and dash position shown in FIGURE 3 manytimes in relation to the rotation of flexible strip 55.

The rotation of disk 51 by finger 60 advances flexible strip 55 ahead ofteeth 67, 68. Continued rotation of driven shaft 43 eventually rotatesteeth 67, 68 into engagement with flexible strip 55, whereby the cyclepreviously described, is repeated.

Having shown and described a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention by way of example, it should be realized that structuralchanges could be made and other examples given without departing fromeither the spirit or scope of this invention.

What I claim is:

1. A water timing distributing valve consisting of a casing providedwith a water chamber, a water inlet, provided with a single elongatedport, fixed in said casing, a driving shaft rotatively mounted in saidcasing, a water actuated impeller, having vanes, fixed to said drivingshaft with said vanes aligned with said single elongated port, anintermediate shaft rotatively mounted in said casing, a finger, providedwith a projection, secured to said intermediate shaft and rotatabletherewith, gear means rotatively connecting said driving shaft with saidintermediate shaft, a driven shaft rotatively mounted in said casing, aclutch sleeve, having oppositely located teeth for periodically engaginga flexible strip, fixed to said driven shaft, gear means rotativelyconnecting said intermediate shaft with said driven shaft, two outletports located in said casing one hundred eighty degrees apart and onopposite sides of said driven shaft, a disk, provided with an arcuateslot one hundred eighty degrees in length and having a hub, mounted forindependent rotation upon said driven shaft, and overlying said twoports with said arcuate slot in register with one of said two outletports, a flexible strip, greater in [length than the diameter, of saiddisk, fixed in said hub and periodically engaged by said teeth, a pinfixed in said casing adjacent said disk within the path of travel ofsaid flexible strip whereby rotation of said driven shaft rotates saiddisk and said flexible strip 4 against said pin through said teeth untilsaid flexible strip acquires enough pressure to snap past said pin andbe engaged and rotated by said projection a distance sufiicient torotate said arcuate slot out of register with one of said two outletports and into register with the other of said two outlet ports.

2. A water timing distributing valve consisting of a casing having aWater chamber, a water inlet, a driving shaft, provided with a. wateractuated impeller, rotatively mounted in said casing with said Wateractuated impeller aligned with said water inlet, a driven shaftrotatively mounted in said casing, a clutch sleeve, provided with asingle tooth, fixed to said driven shaft, drive means connecting saiddriving shaft with said driven shaft, a plurality of outlet ports insaid casing, a valve plate, provided with a valve opening, mounted forindependent rotation upon said driven shaft, said valve plate overlyingsaid plurality of ports with said valve opening in register with one ofsaid plurality of ports, a flexible strip fixed to said valve plate, apin fixed in said casing adjacent said valve plate and within the pathof travel of said flexible strip, said tooth rotatively engageable withsaid flexible strip, whereby rotation of said driven shaft rotates saidclutch sleeve tooth against said flexible strip to tension and bow saidflexible strip against said pin until said flexible strip snaps pastsaid pin thereby to rotate said valve plate and said valve opening intoregister with one of said plurality of ports and out of register withanother of said plurality of ports.

3. A water timing distributing valve comprising a casing having a waterchamber, a water inlet, a plurality of outlet ports located in one wallof said casing, a valve plate provided with a valve opening mounted on adriven shaft for independent rotation thereon and overlying saidplurality of ports, with said opening in register with one of saidplurality of ports, a flexible strip fixed to said plate with its endsextending beyond the periphery of said plate, a pin fixed in said casingadjacent said plate, a clutch sleeve mounted on said driven shaft, saidsleeve having teeth thereon for periodically engaging said flexiblestrip, as said shaft rotates and thereby tensioning said strip againstand past said pin, an intermediate shaft adjacent said plate providedwith a finger having a projection extending therefrom, said intermediateshaft being rotatably mounted in said casing, means for rotativelyconnecting said intermediate and driven shafts, said projection beingrotatable with said intermediate shaft, the rotation of saidintermediate and driven shafts being correlated to engage saidprojection with said flexible strip after said strip rotates past saidpin and thus rotate said valve plate a suflicient distance to move saidvalve opening out of register with one of said plurality of outlet portsand into register with another of said plurality of outlet ports, adriving shaft provided with a Water actuated impeller rotatively mountedin said casing with said impeller aligned with said water inlet anddrive means rotatively connecting said drive and intermediate shafts.

References Cited in the file of this patent

3. A WATER TIMING DISTRIBUTING VALVE COMPRISING A CASING HAVING A WATERCHAMBER, A WATER INLET, A PLURALITY OF OUTLET PORTS LOCATED IN ONE WALLOF SAID CASING, A VALVE PLATE PROVIDED WITH A VALVE OPENING MOUNTED ON ADRIVEN SHAFT FOR INDEPENDENT ROTATION THEREON AND OVERLYING SAIDPLURALITY OF PORTS, WITH SAID OPENING IN REGISTER WITH ONE OF SAIDPLURALITY OF PORTS, FLEXIBLE STRIP FIXED TO SAID PLATE WITH ITS ENDSEXTENDING BEYOND THE PERIPHERY OF SAID PLATE, A PIN FIXED IN SAID CASINGADJACENT SAID PLATE, A CLUTCH SLEEVE MOUNTED ON SAID DRIVEN SHAFT, SAIDSLEEVE HAVING TEETH THEREON FOR PERIODICALLY ENGAGING SAID FLEXIBLESTRIP, AS SAID SHAFT ROTATES AND THEREBY TENSIONING SAID STRIP AGAINSTAND PAST SAID PIN, AN INTERMEDIATE SHAFT ADJACENT SAID PLATE PROVIDEDWITH A FIRST HAVING A PROJECTION EXTENDING THEREFROM, SAID INTERMEDIATESHAFT BEING ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN SAID CASING, MEANS FOR ROTATIVELYCONNECTING SAID INTERMEDIATE AND DRIVEN SHAFTS, SAID PROJECTION BEINGROTATABLE WITH SAID INTERMEDIATE SHAFT, THE ROTATION OF SAIDINTERMEDIATE AND DRIVEN SHAFT BEING CORRELATED TO ENGAGE SAID PROJECTIONWITH SAID FLEXIBLE STRIP AFTER SAID STRIP ROTATES PAST SAID PIN AND THUSROTATE SAID VALVE PLATE A SUFFICIENT DISTANCE TO MOVE SAID VALVE OPENINGOUT OF REGISTER WITH ONE OF SAID PLURALITY OF OUTLET PORTS AND INTOREGISTER WITH ANOTHER OF SAID PLURALITY OF OUTLET PORTS, A DRIVING SHAFTPROVIDED WITH A WATER ACTUATED IMPELLER ROTATIVELY MOUNTED IN SAIDCASING WITH SAID IMPELLER ALIGNED WITH SAID WATER INLET AND DRIVE MEANSROTATIVELY CONNECTING SAID DRIVE AND INTERMEDIATE SHAFT.